Serine hydroxymethyl transferase (EC: 2.1.2.1) found in a plant is an enzyme which is involved with metabolism of glycine, serine, threonine, lysine, a cyanoamino acid, methane and the like (Oliver, D. J. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 1994, 45: 323-337; Igamberdiev, A. U., et al, Plant Physiol. Biochem. 1999, 37: 503-513), and it is also called glycine hydroxymethyl transferase. Five genes of serine hydroxymethyl transferase (abbreviated as SHM) have been reported for Arabidopsis thaliana, and EST nucleotide sequence of the gene has been also described for legumes, a tomato, a potato and the like (Shingles, R. et al. 1984, Plant Physiol. 74, 705-710; Besson, V. et al. 1995, Plant Physiol. Biochem. 33, 665-673).
Although genes for serine hydroxymethyl transferase isolated from the above-described plants have been already reported, no research has been made regarding a promoter and 5′-UTR therefor by any group in the world. Specifically, although it has been reported that an intron and UTR of polyubiquitin gene have an effect on the polyubiquitin gene in corn or gladiolus and introns for several other genes can increase expression of the gene itself (Wang J and Oard J H, 2003, Plant Cell Rep 22:129-134; Norris S R et al, 1993, Plant Mol Biol 21:895-906), there is no research regarding whether UTR of serine hydroxymethyl transferase gene has an effect on expression regulation of the gene itself.
Recently, various studies have been made to produce commercially useful materials based on a genetic engineering technology, i.e., with introduction of a foreign gene in a plant. When a commercially useful foreign gene is desired to be expressed in a transformed plant, a promoter that is related to expression of the gene is also required. For this, a promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV35S), which is expressed in any type of a tissue of a plant, has been widely used. However, there is a problem in that, since an expression amount of a foreign gene is low, the expression is less than 0.1% of the entire expression amount of water-soluble proteins. Thus, a strong promoter which is capable of increasing expression of a foreign gene in a transformed plant is urgently required. Further, in order to achieve temporary but large-scale expression of a foreign gene in a plant tissue based on a transient method, a new strong plant promoter is also very much required.
In Korean Patent Reg. No. 0604186, a nucleotide sequence of a promoter for high efficiency expression of a sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) storage roots, a vector for transient and high efficiency plant expression comprising the promoter sequence, and a method for transient expression in storage roots of a plant by using the expression vector are disclosed. In Korean Patent Reg. No. 0574563, a high efficiency expression promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana and a vector comprising the promoter for high efficiency expression in plant are disclosed. However, these promoters are different from the promoter of the present invention.